Millions of Muslims Mark Arbaeen in Karbala
IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK
Millions of pilgrims, mostly Muslims, including a record number of Iranians, gathered in Iraq’s holy city of Karbala yesterday to commemorate Arbaeen, the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, the third Shia Imam.
Among the pilgrims, which usually number 20 million from around the world every year, many arrived in Karbala after trekking about 70 kilometers northward from the holy city of Najaf in a symbolic gesture honoring Imam Hussein.
Pilgrims entered the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala up to two weeks before Arbaeen. This year’s Arba’een falls on Saturday, October 19.
Foreign pilgrims from other countries also participate in the event, with tens of thousands entering Iraq notably from countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Lebanon.
The pilgrims are greeted by the generous hospitality of the Iraqi people, who provide them with food, water, transport and accommodation needed for the journey.
Imam Hussein was martyred along with dozens of his companions during a last-stand battle against the tyrant of the time, Yazid, more than thirteen centuries ago.
The martyrdom of Imam Hussein has turned into a symbol of righteous revolt and social and political reform.
Imam Hussein is a highly-venerated figure not only among Shia Muslims but also among Sunnis and people of other faiths.
Protestants and Catholics paying their tribute during Arbaeen at Karbala.
Many observers have highlighted that despite Arbaeen being the world’s largest annual peaceful gathering on earth, there has been substantially little attention from mainstream media to the major ceremony.
Meanwhile Iran’s Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli praised the actions taken during Arbaeen this year saying that 3.5 million pilgrims from Iran have participated in the religious march.
He said in the early years, about 300,000 to 400,000 took part, but now after five years, the number has reached 3,500,000 which is very remarkable.
“We had good progress in some sectors this year, but there are still issues which must be resolved,” he noted.
Arbaeen is a Shiite Muslim religious observance that occurs forty days after the Day of Ashura.
